POTTSTOWN >> After almost four months of anticipation, Pottstown K-9 officers are now officially equipped with armored vests.
Pottstown Police Department’s K-9 officers, Taz, Jak and Kato received their bullet and stab proof vests Friday after it was announced in May that the equipment would be added for the K-9 officers.
“The Pottstown Police Department Chief Richard F. Drumheller and its three K-9 teams, Cpl. Steve Hatfield and K-9 Kato, Officer Pete Yambrick and K-9 Jak and Officer Jeff Portock and K-9 Taz are happy to announce the receipt of this generous donation,” read a statement from the department.
The department stated several months ago that thanks to a resident who had noticed the dogs were not equipped with vests, a donation of $65, 825 was presented to Vested Interest in K9s Inc., a charity located in East Taunton, Mass. The charity’s mission is to provide bullet and stab protective vests and other assistance to dogs of law enforcement and related agencies throughout the United States. The funds that have supplied Pottstown K9s with the vital vests were raised through nationwide donations to help retired officer Matt Hickey of Marietta, Ohio, keeps his partner, Ajax, upon retirement. The funds that were raised were donated to Vested Interest K9s Inc., which will be providing 62 law enforcement dogs with vests using the donations.
One protective vest can be made for a K-9 with a donation of $1,050. The vests are valued between $1, 795 to $2, 234 with a five year warranty and a weight of four to five pounds.
The program is open to dogs actively employed in the U.S. with law enforcement or related agencies who are certified and at least 20 months of age.
In addition to the new vests, Pottstown K-9s were also recently supplied with naloxone for use in cases where they need to sniff out drugs. With approval from the department’s veterinarian, the officers now have recourse should their K-9 partner accidentally overdose in pursuit of illegal drugs.
“These dogs are considered partners to the police officer,” Drumheller said when they announced the acquisition of the vests in May. “Those dogs have worked diligently for the borough and they would readily give their life up for their partner. You have to admire that type of dedication so we want to make sure we can do everything we can to keep them safe, whether it’s a bulletproof vest, the appropriate food or good vet care.”
